


One kiss before we die

by Leiya



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Fighting the Galra, First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, set during their return to earth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 22:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16105079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leiya/pseuds/Leiya
Summary: Some time after Krolia left the group they land on a planet and are surprised by Galra and an unexpected hard fight occurs. In the eye of death Keith asks for something he has wanted for a while now.





	One kiss before we die

**Author's Note:**

> I still think I suck at writing action scenes x.x Need to practise them...
> 
> Based on a prompt I found on tumblr!

One kiss before we die?

 

Fuck! Fuck, fuck, FUCK! Keith thought when he took the situation in. But he didn’t say it. He was the leader after all. He shouldn’t let the others know that he thought this situation was… bad at best.

They were stranded on a planet no one knew the name of and they were attacked… By Galra, who somehow had managed to tame the deadliest beasts the local fauna had to offer: not quite wolf, not quite tiger but something in between with terrifying teeth and claws. The lions were out of order for still unknown reasons and no one knew if they would be able to recover soon enough to save their bloody lives.

And as if that wasn’t even bad enough the Galra had managed to separate them. As far as Keith has kept the overview Lance was with Allura at a lake and Pidge and Hunk fought in a forest. Coran, Romelle and the animals stayed hidden in the Lions.

 

And he? He was stuck in a canyon with Shiro and a deep cut from a beast’s claw on his right leg which he tried to ignore the best he could.

 

Not that he minded his best friend’s presence, not at all but… Shiro had only returned from the Dead a mere month ago. Yes he had been recovering quickly; yes he had started to train again but… It was not the same. Keith gripped the haft of his Bayard-sword a bit stronger. Shiro had found a strong branch he used as a weapon but it was obvious it wouldn’t hold long against their enemies.

They stood back to back; the number of fallen enemies was quite impressive considering their desperate situation.

 

“Keith! We can’t hold on much longer!” Lance’s voice came from the speaker in their helmets, he sounded pained, desperate.

 

“Hold on! Do you want to die?” Keith asked voice calmer, than he felt. But he had to send out a signal of strength to his team. If he gave up, everyone else would lose their hope and then they’d all die! He couldn’t risk it.

 He darted forth to slay another Galra who tried to kill him and instantly jumped back to the shelter of Shiro’s broad shoulders.

 

“No! But…”

 

“Keith! He’s injured!” It was Allura’s voice. The Altean princess, usually so collected and level-headed, sounded almost in panic. Shit!

 

“Keep calm, Allura! We…” – Another slash to a four legged monster which thought it was witty enough to be able to attack from above and cost it its head –  “we’ll come as soon as possible!” which wouldn’t be anytime soon Keith was afraid. “But you need to keep a calm head! They’ll kill you instantly if you get reckless or panic! We will come!” He wasn’t sure if he could keep this promise, but…

 

“Thank you!” Allura’s words confirmed that he had said the right thing to keep hope afloat.

 

He felt how Shiro attacked an enemy and shuddered when he heard a terrible ‘Crack’ when Shiro’s weapon broke.

 

It only took a few more minutes until they were pressed against a wall of stone, their space to move strictly limited when four beasts and at least ten Galra circled them.

 

Keith took a breath. How could they survive that?

 

“You really have grown into a great leader. I’m proud of you”, he heard Shiro’s voice next to him. He switched the communication off. The others didn’t need to know he was close to giving up, now that he also noticed a shadow on a ledge just above them ready to kill them off. His grip around his weapon strengthened.

 

“Thank you.” Keith sighed and lifted his injured leg a bit to keep it from giving out but keeping his will to fight to the end. “Come… How many do you think we can take with us?”

 

Somehow some kind of lethal determination slipped into Shiro’s eyes. “Preferably all of them!”

 

Keith smirked. “Yeah… preferably.” His voice was full of sarcastic determination, knowing that that was nearly impossible. The enemies came closer. He couldn’t see a way to escape alive. But he wouldn’t die without the fight of his life. “One kiss before we die?” he asked in the same ironic mocking voice. He had never told Shiro what he really felt for him, that his love was more than brotherly.

 

“You can have as many kisses as you want when we survive! So move!” Keith felt Shiro’s hand at his back. “I’ll cover your back!” Then he pushed him forwards into a big pile of Galra and beasts and seven human limbs with many screams and more blood.

 

The roar of a lion froze the battle. And the instant Black took part in it the tables were turned. It was a matter of less than a minute until the remaining enemies fled. No one wanted to mess with a robot many times the own size. And the moment the threat was over and Black opened her mouth, Keith collapsed, his leg giving up the will to carry him. He knew he bled somewhere on his scalp and his arm. And soon he felt Shiro at his side. “Come, we need to get into the Lion and help the others!”

 

Keith needed two seconds to get what Shiro meant. But then he gathered all his strength and pulled himself up on Shiro’s shoulder! “Let’s get moving! We can’t afford any fatalities!”

 

Shiro nodded and supported his friend to the lion with his one left arm and sat him down in the pilot’s seat. “Let’s do this.” He said and the lion roared.

 

“Guys! We’re on our way!” Keith informed the others with new determination. Yes, he was injured, but as long as he was able to pilot his lion he would not let anyone alone. A quick glance on the map and he knew where he had to go.

 

“Pidge? Hunk? Status?” he asked on the way to the lake where Lance and Allura fought. He hadn’t heard anything of the Yellow and green Paladins, yet.

 

“We’re fine. Green just arrived! Take care of the other two!” Pidge’s answer relieved Keith. Within seconds he arrived at the lake and let Black do the cleanup quickly joined by Red and Blue, who were back online as well and couldn’t leave their Paladins to their fate as well. So it was a matter of mere minutes until the lake was Galra free as well.

 

Keith sank back in his seat and groaned. Now that the adrenaline in his blood slowly faded, the pain in his body and especially his leg returned full force.

 

“Everyone, take first care of your wounds then we’ll meet in Black to plan where we will go next. Pidge? Can you look for a Galra free planet, moon or whatever close by?” he ordered. He knew they needed to leave as soon as possible. But they also needed to take care of themselves first.

 

“Copy that!” Pidge replied and the line went quiet as well as the connections to the other lions.

 

“Let me take care of your wounds until you can get into a healing pod!” Shiro said. He had already gotten the first aid kit and taken out the necessary things.

 

Keith nodded. _One kiss before we die?_ God, how could he have been so bold? He didn’t dare to look at Shiro when he gently wiped the blood from his face. He wanted to say something but nothing came to his mind. _You can have as many kisses as you want when we survive!_ Damn… Despite his tone Keith had been serious… But was Shiro?

 

“Are you alright?” Shiro asked concerned. He had helped Keith get out of his space suit and was now taking care of his leg. He had cleaned the cut and was now bandaging it.

 

“Yeah. Thank you for being here!” Keith opened his eyes. Should he ask Shiro for the promised kisses or… would that ruin things between them.

 

“That’s what friends are for.” Shiro replied gently. Keith looked at him now and Shiro returned it. The tension almost bristling in the air between them.

 

“Keith!” “Shiro!” both spoke at the same time. Shiro smiled and pushed himself up.

“Back then… you wanted something… Do... you still want it? We survived after all.” Shiro’s voice was smooth as silk. Keith gulped. So Shiro had also been serious?

He hesitantly nodded. He would be a fool not to accept the offer and a few seconds later he could feel Shiro’s lips on his, gentle, testing. Keith closed his eyes and returned the kiss, arms circling Shiro’s neck and pulling him closer.

He had read so much about the first kiss being like some kind of firework, all bright and magic and excitement, but he experienced none of that. What he felt was so much better. It was mutual trust and love, not burning but calm, things falling into place, just as they were supposed to be. He groaned when he felt Shiro’s tongue nudging his lips and he gladly granted access to his mouth welcoming it with his own. Somewhere in the back of his mind he felt Black purring out her blessing.

 

No one knew how long they stayed like this when they separated again.

 

“Wow! You’re amazing!” Keith murmured.

 

“You’re the one to talk!” Shiro replied with a happy smirk, but then he stood up and stretched his back. It sure was uncomfortable to lean down so much just to kiss your best friend.

 

Keith felt the warmth of Shiro’s hand against his cheek and leaned into the touch. “We should go to the hangar and meet the others…” he murmured a bit unwilling.

 

“Yeah. Can you walk?” Shiro asked and held his arm out.

 

Keith stood up but soon noticed he needed support, his leg wasn’t ready to carry him. And Shiro smiled and put his arm around Keith’s waist to support him. But before they left the lion’s cockpit he leaned down again and stole another sweet kiss from Keith’s lips.

 

A few minutes later everyone was gathered in Black’s hangar. Everyone had at least a few band aids somewhere on their body. Lance’s arm was in a sling. So he, too, would need a healing pod later.

“That was a tight fight!” He stated weakly.

 

“Yeah. I’m glad we survived!” Hunk said. He had only minor injuries which didn’t need any special treatment.

 

“Thanks for not giving up on us, Keith” Allura smiled.

 

“I’d never give up on you.” Keith replied with a weak.

 

“Only on yourself.” Was Shiro’s dry remark to that.

 

“Hey, in Slav’s words… the chance of us surviving was around three percent.”

 

Shiro smiled and pulled him close to his chest. “But I’m glad we made it.”

 

“Yeah… Me too.” Keith smiled and snuggled closer to Shiro. They could plan their next steps like this, too, right?


End file.
